You Don't Know Her Like I Do
by BDavis427
Summary: He will gladly put his life on hold to help her put hers back together…that's what friends do. He's there for her no matter what life may throw at them. The last thing he expected was to fall in love with his best friend.


Chapter One: Gone 

I should be happy. I should be content. I've achieved all that I have ever wanted to do and I still have my entire life ahead of me since I'm only twenty-five. I have more money than I'll ever know what to do with and I'm too famous for my own good. I have everything I could ever want but I can't help but feel like something is missing. There's times I wish I had someone to come home to after a night of playing ball. I wish I had someone to hold me, cheer on the sidelines for me. I wish I had someone to cook for, and surprise with breakfast in bed. I wish I had that but I don't. I envy the relationships my teammates have with their wives. I want what Brooke and Kyle have. I want what Lucas and Haley have. I want what Quinn and Clay have. I want what Jake and Peyton have. I want someone to love me more than anything in this world. I want someone to be what my world revolves around; I want to be somebody's everything.

I've been hurt in the past. I've put myself out there only to be burned by women. I don't want to feel that pain ever again. I don't want to open myself up to someone just to have them leave me and break my heart but how am I ever going to get what I want if I never allow myself to get close to someone? There have been countless times a woman has thrown herself at me, asked me on a date or simply suggested a one night stand. I could have anyone in the world but do I ever take any of these women up on their offer? No. A one night stand should be easy, athletes are famous for them, there's no commitment, no chance of being hurt…so why can't I do it?

I don't want to be just another guy to just another girl. I want to be someone's one and only. I want to be the guy she's been searching her entire life for, the one who makes her life make sense, the one who completes her. As cheesy as that sounds, it's all I want.

x-x-x

6 missed calls from Peyton.

14 texts from Lucas.

3 missed calls and 5 texts from Brooke.

8 texts from Jake.

4 texts from Haley.

9 missed calls and 2 texts from Clay.

5 texts from Quinn.

My heart drops. I talk to them all on a regular basis and I go home whenever I can but my life, for the most part, is in Boston where I play for the Celtics. They know when I play. They know I keep my phone in the locker room. My heart is racing and I feel like I can't breathe when I see that not one but every single one of my friends has tried to get a hold of me. Everyone by Kyle. Kyle. My best friend. My heart beats even faster as so many scenarios run through my head. There was an accident. He's in the hospital. He's—I can't let myself go there.

All I remember is my dad telling me to go, that he'll handle everything in Boston for as long as I need to be in Tree Hill. He has been more than I ever could have imagined and I finally have the relationship with him I craved growing up. Lucas still isn't the biggest fan of Dan but he's everything to me, he's been there when no one else has. I sat, numb, in the locker room as he booked a redeye to Tree Hill and had someone go to my penthouse in the city and pack a few bags. He arranged for the town car to take us to the airport and when the time came to say goodbye I didn't want to let go.

"Nathan, son, you need to go. Kyle is your best friend and you need to be there." He tells me.

I nod at his words. "But what if—"

"He's okay." He says. "The flight isn't that long, before you know it you'll be back in Tree Hill and you'll see that everything is fine."

I refuse to call any of them back. I can't handle the news over the phone…whatever the news may be. Kyle is in trouble, I can feel it, and I can't bear to be told over the phone what has happened. I need to hear it in person but the anticipation is killing me. I just want to know what is wrong. "But what if it's not?" I ask in a voice barely above a whisper as I try to keep the tears at bay. "What then, dad?"

He hands me my carry-on bag before placing his hand on my shoulder. "It will be."

x-x-x

The last time I was in Tree Hill was about eight months ago before I left for the basketball season. Sometimes I wish I could stay here all the time, I miss it. I miss seeing my brother and Haley everyday. I miss spending time with Brooke, Kyle and the kids. I miss what my life used to be before the fame and fortune. As I drive down the darkened streets I know like the back of my hand, I struggle to decide whose house to go to first. Peyton and Jake? Lucas and Haley? Brooke and Kyle? Clay and Quinn? Before I know it, I find myself pulling into a driveway and my feet lead me to the front door.

"Nathan." She says. Her voice is tired and strained but full of shock. "What are you doing here?"

The tears I've been struggling to keep in all day finally fall when I see her bloodshot eyes and little black rivers of mascara running down her face. It's obvious she's been crying for awhile. "What happened, Brooke? What happened to Kyle?"

She looks down at her wedding ring and spins it around her finger. "He's gone, Nate."

My knees buckle as I collapse on the front step. Brooke kneels down beside me and wipes the tears from my eyes. "Why don't you come inside?" She says softly. "It's cold out here."

My legs feel like they're about to give out again but I make it into the house and I sit down on the couch. She has a fire going and the smell brings me back to summer nights in high school when we'd all just sit in my backyard roast marshmallows, have a few drinks, and simply enjoy life. Things Kyle can no longer do. I look around the living room and my eyes fall on a family picture of Brooke, Kyle and Mason. Mason. He idolized his father. "Mase," I say softly. "How's he doing?"

"He doesn't know yet." She says softly as she continues to stare at her wedding ring.

"Brooke," I say. "You need to tell him—"

"It's not what you think, Nate." She says as she suddenly looks up at me. I must have looked confused or something because she takes a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak again. "Kyle left me and Mason."

I furrow my brow. "What do you mean he left?"

"I went to drop Mase off at a birthday party earlier this afternoon and when I came back there was a note on the counter." I watch her speak and she fights to keep more tears from spilling out of her eyes. "He didn't say why, we were happy, or at least _I_ thought we were happy. I mean, he lost his job a couple months ago but we were okay. I work at the café everyday and my mom and dad have been more than willing to help us out if we need it. We have money saved up in the bank to pay the bills, Kyle's job was great and we saved every cent he made so we were okay when he was laid off. He was out looking for work, I told him it was only a matter of time before he was back on his feet." Her words are running together and she's rambling and speaking faster and faster with each word. "He left, Nate. Kyle left me." She cries on my shoulder and I hold her in my arms as her whole body shakes with each sob.

My mind is racing. There has to be a logical reason behind all of this. Kyle loves Brooke more than anything in this world. Mason and Brooke are what his life revolves around. "He's going to come back, Brooke." I tell her. "He loves you too damn much."

She pulls away from me and wipes the tears from her eyes. "He took everything with him. His clothes, his tools, the truck…everything. He's not coming back, Nathan."

She looks exhausted and as I look at her my heart shatters into a thousand pieces. I trusted Kyle to take care of her, to love her, to protect her, he was my best friend and the only man I thought was good enough for Brooke. I can't help but feel responsible for this; I was the one who introduced Kyle to Brooke. I was the one who told Brooke that she could trust Kyle, that he wouldn't hurt her like so many men had done in the past.

"Is Mason here?" I ask after a few minutes of silence had fallen between us.

When she doesn't respond I look down to find her sound asleep in my arms. I move slowly and lift her off the couch, careful not to wake her. I walk down the hallway and up the stairs toward her room. I lay her down on the bed she shares with Kyle, kiss her forehead and pull the covers up over her small frame. As I walk out of the room I stop and look at all of the pictures displayed on the wall; Kyle and Brooke look so in love in every single one. What changed?

On my way back downstairs I look in the bedroom where my nephew is supposed to be and I'm relieved to see his bed is empty. He shouldn't see his mom like this; he's are too young to understand being just four years old. I drop my bags in the guestroom a few doors down from Brooke before reaching into my pocket and calling my brother.

x-x-x

Lucas knocks softly on the door a short while later. He was shocked to hear I was in town, that I had dropped everything and flew down without a second thought. Basketball, as much as I hate to admit it, has consumed my life for the past five years ever since I was drafted to the Celtics. I can't tell you how many important things I've missed out on because of games, practices, and appearances. I missed the birth of my brother's first child. Nearly every single one of Mason's birthday parties, Clay and Quinn's wedding...the list goes on and on. There are times I'm tempted to walk away from it all. The fame and fortune mean nothing if it costs me my happiness. I thought this was what I wanted. I thought money could buy me happiness but it can't. I have never been more lonely in my entire life and being back in Tree Hill reminds me just how alone I am in Boston.

"It's good to see you," Lucas says when I open the door. I'm surprised when he pulls me into a hug. "I wish it were under different circumstances."

I nod as I step aside and motion for him to come in. "Where's Haley?"

"At home, Mason's there too. He doesn't know what's going on yet." He says as he takes a seat on the couch. "How's she doing?"

"How do you think?" I ask as I run my hand down my face. I'm utterly exhausted. "She's absolutely devastated."

"How could he leave her?"

"I've asked myself that question more times than I can count." I shrug. "All I want to do is find Kyle and beat the living daylights out of him."

"I know," Lucas agrees. "I do too but we can't. We have no idea where he went and Brooke needs us here."

In high school, Luke, Kyle and I were inseparable. He moved from Alabama to Tree Hill during our sophomore year and I honestly don't know how Luke and I got by without him before. He was like another brother and from the very first day he was smitten with Brooke. It took me awhile to introduce them because I needed to know I could trust him with her. I didn't want him to break her heart like so many other guys had done. I couldn't bear to sit in her room with her and listen to her cry over another boy who had broken her heart and shattered her trust. They finally got together junior year and I had never seen either of them so happy. Kyle restored Brooke's trust in men and he treated her better than any other guy before him. She thanked me countless times for bringing them together; she said she didn't know what she'd do without Kyle in her life.

I don't think I've ever seen Brooke happier than the night we graduated high school when Kyle proposed. I knew they were going to spend their lives together from the moment I introduced them so I was ecstatic when they showed up that night and she held out her left hand. I remember standing at the front of the church as Kyle's best man and watching him watch her walk down the aisle toward him. There was so much love in his eyes and in that moment I knew I'd never have to worry about Brooke again because he was going to love her for the rest of her life.

Or so I thought.

x-x-x

It isn't long before everyone knows I'm back in Tree Hill. My phone won't stop buzzing between them asking when they can see me and how Brooke's doing. I decide to turn it off which I know will send them all over the edge but I can't deal with the overflow of texts and phone calls right now.

I start a pot of coffee in the kitchen, there's no way I'm going to be able to sleep tonight anyway so I figure coffee can't hurt. The fridge is covered in artwork made by Mason as well as pictures of him with Brooke and Kyle. There's a few of Haley and Luke and their daughter Maria. Peyton and Jake are there too and so are Clay and Quinn with their son Logan. An overwhelming sense of loneliness washes over me as I continue to look at all the pictures. They all have someone who loves them, who they've committed their life to and it just makes me want to find the woman I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with even more.

"What are you doing?"

I turn around to see her standing before me in her pajamas. Her hair is thrown up in a messy bun and she's taken off her make-up. Her eyes are still puffy and red, obvious signs she has cried since waking up.

"I can't sleep," I say as I hold up my coffee cup. "What about you?"

She retrieves a coffee cup from the cabinet before pouring herself a cup. "Me either."

I watch as she adds milk and sugar. So many thoughts run through my head. I want to ask her a dozen questions, I want to find Kyle, I want to make this all better for her but I don't know how.

"This is weird, right?" I hear her ask and it takes me a moment to snap back into it.

"What?" I ask. "This?" I motion between us.

She nods. "I haven't seen you in god knows how long and now you won't leave my side." She grins as she brings the coffee mug to her lips. "I saw your bags in the guest room so I assume you assume you can just crash here?"

"Brooke, I- uh- I—" I stammer as I try to figure out what to say.

"It's okay. I don't mind your company." She says as she hops up on the counter. "Besides, you can keep us safe if someone breaks in."

I lean against the counter across from her and fold my arms across my chest. "I see how it is. You're just using me for protection."

She giggles and I can't help but smile. It's the first time I've heard her laugh in a long time and nothing beats the sound of Brooke's laugh. It's contagious. "So, how have you been? What's new with you?"

I hate that it's like this. I hate that she doesn't know anything about me and I hardly know a thing about her anymore. I tried to stay in touch but being in Boston isn't like living a town or two over. I've missed countless birthdays, anniversaries, backyard barbeques, spelling bees…the list could go on forever. There was a time I knew everything, and I mean _everything_ about Brooke and now I couldn't even tell you the kind of car she drives.

"I've been—"

I watch as she nearly throws her coffee mug down on the counter, covers her mouth and sprints toward, what I can only assume, is the bathroom. I place my mug down and race after her and I'm not surprised to find her hunched in front of the toilet getting sick. As she heaves, I rub her back and hold her hair out of her face.

"Thanks," She says as she flushes the toilet. "I'm really sorry you had to see that."

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it."

She closes her eyes and I watch a tear escape and fall down her cheek. "How am I supposed to do this on my own?" She asks softly.

"You're not alone. You have all of us and we're more than willing to do anything you—"

"I'm pregnant, Nate."

My eyes bulge and my jaw drops. "What?" I ask in disbelief even though I heard her loud and clear.

"I've been feeling sick the past few days and then I was late and it all started to add up so before I dropped Mason off at the birthday party I took a pregnancy test and it was positive." She explains. "I'm pregnant."

If my mind wasn't already racing this new bit of information sends me for a loop. "Kyle doesn't know?"

She shakes her head. "I had a feeling but I didn't mention it to him, I didn't want to tell him until I knew for sure."

I reach out and rub her arm gently when I see her fighting the tears forming in her eyes. "It's going to be all right, Brooke." I say.

"You can't tell anyone yet." She says as she looks up at me. "Not until I figure out what I'm going to do."

"What are you talking about? You're not thinking about getting—"

"I don't know." She answers before shaking her head violently. "No, no of course I'm not going to get an abortion. I can't. How could I even have considered that?"

That's all it takes for the tears to fall and before I know what I'm doing, I have her wrapped in my arms and my shoulder is wet from her tears. Brooke is the strongest person I know so to see her like this absolutely kills me. "It's okay," I tell her. "It was the one thing you felt like you could control in this whole situation. It's okay."

Suddenly, she pulls out of my embrace, wipes the tears from her eyes and stands up. "I need to shower. I need to pick Mason up soon."

"I'm sure Haley and Luke wouldn't mind watching him today. You hardly got any sleep last night—"

"I need Mason. He's my son and I can't stop being his mom because of what Kyle did to me. I can't let myself go down that road, Nate."

I nod and she weakly smiles back at me before retreating upstairs to shower. I know what she means; I know that the last thing she wants to do is become withdrawn from her life, from Mason, because of what Kyle has done. I also know that it is going to take everything she has inside of her not to do so which is why I wait until I hear the water start before I pull out my cell phone and call my dad.

x-x-x

"He's going to be so excited to see you," She smiles as we drive toward Lucas's house.

"If he even remembers who I am." I scoff which earns a look from Brooke.

"Nate—"

"It's true, Brooke." I tell her. "I've been in Boston for the majority of the four years he's been alive."

She stays quiet for a few minutes before she speaks again. "He talks about you a lot."

I raise my eyebrow. "He does?" I'm intrigued.

She nods. "Whenever you're playing we make every effort to be home so we can watch you on TV. He'll just sit there and stare at the screen for the entire game, mesmerized by you. When it's over, he'll ask questions about you and Kyle and I tell him everything he wants to know. You're like a hero to him, Nate."

I can't help the goose-bumps that appear on my arms as I struggle to think of something to say back to her. "I can't wait to see him." I finally say as I look out the window and grow anxious with each passing second.

A few minutes later we pull into Lucas's driveway and Brooke and I aren't even out of the car before Maria and Mason come running out of the house.

"Momma!" Mason shrieks as he wraps himself around Brooke's legs.

"Hi, baby." She smiles as she bends down to pick him up. "How was your sleepover?"

"Awesome!" He exclaims. "We roasted marshmallows and made s'mores."

"That sounds like so much fun." I watch as she walks around the car toward me and I nervously shove my hands in my pockets. "Mase, you have someone who's very excited to see you." She looks at me and smiles and we both wait for Mason to look at me.

His entire face lights up when he sees me standing before him. He wiggles in Brooke's arms and asks to be put down so she happily obliges and watches as he runs into my arms. "Hey, buddy." I say softly as I squeeze him tight.

"I've missed you, Uncle Nate." He says as he nestles his head on my shoulder. "It's not the same seeing you on TV."

My heart nearly breaks at his words as it sets in for the thousandth time since I've been here that I've missed so much. "I know." I say softly. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry." He says as he smiles at me. "You're here now."

x-x-x

Mason is the perfect blend of Brooke and Kyle. He has her deep chocolate hair, her dimples, and her sense of humor but he has Kyle's piercing blue eyes, his athleticism and his quiet, reserved demeanor. At only four years old, I didn't think he'd have the power to wipe me out but I am exhausted after playing with him for just a few hours. Thankfully, he fell asleep on the couch which gives me time to talk to Brooke and recoup. I glace over at Mason and see that he's still sleeping soundly so I cover him with a light blanket before I start to look for Brooke.

"I don't know how you have the energy to keep up with him everyday." I laugh when I find her in the kitchen making lunch.

She turns and smiles when she sees me. "You get used to it." She replies as she cuts a sandwich in half. "Want some?" She offers.

I nod, take half, and lean against the counter as she does the same. "How are you doing?"

"Good." She answers and I know she's lying. "He's going to come back."

I'm stunned. Less than twenty-four hours ago when I first got here she was adamant that Kyle wasn't coming back, that he was gone for good. Now she thinks he's going to return? "Brooke—"

"When he hears that I'm pregnant he's going to come back. He just needs some time to himself for a little bit. Mason can be a handful at times and I know it's not easy for him now that he doesn't have a job but he can't just leave us."

"Brooke," I say again and wait for her to look at me. "I called my dad and asked him to help look for Kyle—"

"Why?"

"Because I want to find him and bring him home but I can't be out roaming the country when you need me here."

"No I don't." She says as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of Mason and the house all by myself."

"I—"

"And besides, don't you have a basketball team to get back to?"

"They can survive without me." I tell her. "You and Mason are way more important and if I went back to Boston all I'd be able to think about is you two."

"I'm okay, Nathan. I can do this on my own." Despite her best efforts to put up a strong façade, her voice shakes and she avoids eye contact.

I take her hands in mine and force her to look at me. "You're my best friend, Brooke. I know when you're upset and there is no way you're okay with what has happened with Kyle. I will gladly put my life on hold to help you put yours back together…that's what friends do. I'm here for you no matter what."

She squeezes my hand. "You're sure you wouldn't mind staying a few more days?"

"I'll stay weeks if that's what it takes."

I see the relief in her eyes and I feel it when she pulls me into a hug. She pulls away when we hear a small, sleep-filled voice.

"Momma? Where's daddy?"

"He went to Charlotte yesterday right after I dropped you off at the birthday party. He got a job out there and he's going to be gone for a little bit, bud."

She didn't even hesitate and it's scary how quick that lie spilled out of her. I want to tell her that she shouldn't lie to Mason but maybe it's for the best. I mean, what's the point in scaring him when Kyle could walk through the front door at any given moment?

"Why didn't he say bye to me?" Mason asks.

"He was in a rush, baby. He was running really late and he wishes he could have seen you before he left." She tells him.

Mason seems satisfied with her answer and I hear him laugh as I watch Brooke begin to tickle him. She carries him back toward the living room and after a few moments I hear her call my name to come join them.

Let the lies begin, I think to myself as I follow the sound of their laughter.

x-x-x

What do you want to see? I don't have anything planned out so your input is greatly appreciated! I'm open to anything. Do you want the points of view to switch from chapter to chapter or do you want it to be told strictly from Nathan's point of view? Let me know any and all ideas you might have! Thanks!

Review please!


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